Apply for an environmental permit

An environmental permit must be held if a regulated facility is operated in England or Wales.

Regulated facilities include:

  • installations or mobile plants carrying out listed activities
  • waste operations
  • waste mobile plant
  • mining waste operations

Listed activities include:

  • energy - burning fuel, gasification, liquefaction and refining activities
  • metals - manufacturing and processing metals
  • minerals - manufacturing lime, cement, ceramics or glass
  • chemicals - manufacturing chemicals, pharmaceuticals or explosives, storing chemicals in bulk
  • waste - incinerating waste, operating landfills, recovering waste
  • solvents - using solvents
  • other - manufacturing paper, pulp and board, treating timber products, coating, treating textiles and printing, manufacturing new tyres, intensive pig and poultry farming

Listed activities are divided into three categories: Part A(1), Part A(2) and Part B.

Part A permits control activities with a range of environmental impacts, including:

  • emissions to air, land and water
  • energy efficiency
  • waste reduction
  • raw materials consumption
  • noise, vibration and heat
  • accident prevention

Part B permits control activities which cause emissions to air.

The permit the business requires depends on the specific processes involved and resulting emissions.

Permits are available from the appropriate regulator: either the Environment Agency or the local authority, depending on the category the business falls within:

  • Part A(1) installations or mobile plants are regulated by the Environment Agency
  • Part A(2) and Part B installations or mobile plants are regulated by the local authority, except waste operations carried out at Part B installations which are regulated by the Environment Agency
  • waste operations or waste mobile plant carried on other than at an installation, or by Part A or Part B mobile plants, are regulated by the Environment Agency
  • mining waste operations are regulated by the Environment Agency

Fees and charges

The Defra website has current fees and charges.

Eligibility criteria

Applications must be made on the form provided by the regulator, or online, and must include specified information, which will vary depending on the operation.

A fee may be payable.

If further information is required the applicant will be notified by the regulator and they must provide this information or the application will be deemed to be withdrawn.

The application must be from the operator of the regulated facility.

For waste operations, no licence will be granted unless any required planning permission had first been obtained.

Regulation summary

A summary of the regulation relating to this licence.

Application evaluation process

The regulator will have regard to the protection of the environment taken as a whole by, in particular, preventing or, where that is not practicable, reducing, emissions into the air, water and land.

The regulator may inform the public of the application and must consider any representations.

The application must be from the operator of the regulated facility and the regulator must be satisfied that they must operate the facility in accordance with the environmental permit.

Will tacit consent apply?

No. It is in the public interest that the authority processes the application before it can be granted. If the applicant has not heard from the local authority within a reasonable period, attempts should be made to contact the local authority. This may be done online if you applied through the UK Welcomes service or using the contact details below. The target for dealing with these applications is 120 working days from the date an application is received by the Council.

Apply online

Failed application redress

In the first instance please contact:

Environment Unit, Amber Valley Borough Council, Town Hall, Ripley, Derbyshire, DE5 3BT
Tel:
 01773 841335
E-mail: envadmin@ambervalley.gov.uk

An applicant who is refused an environmental permit may appeal to the appropriate authority. In England the appropriate authority is the Secretary of State and in Wales are the welsh ministers. Appeals must be lodged no later than six months from the date of the decision.

Licence holder redress

In the first instance please contact:

Environment Unit, Amber Valley Borough Council, Town Hall, Ripley, Derbyshire, DE5 3BT
Tel:
 01773 841335
E-mail: envadmin@ambervalley.gov.uk

If an application to vary, transfer or surrender an environmental permit has been refused or if the applicant objects to conditions imposed on the environmental permit they may appeal to the appropriate authority.

Appeals must be lodged in relation to a regulator initiated variation, a suspension notice or an enforcement notice, not later than two months from the date of the variation or notice and in any other case not later than six months from the date of the decision.

Consumer complaint

We would always advise that in the event of a complaint the complainant first contacts the operator - preferably in the form a letter (with proof of delivery). If that does not work, if you are located in the UK, Citizens' Advice will help. From outside the UK contact the UK European Consumer Centre.

Other redress

Compensation maybe payable in relation to conditions affecting certain interests in land.

Register

The register can be viewed at the town hall during normal office hours:
09:00 - 16:30 hours (Monday-Friday)
10:00 - 16:30 hours (Wednesday)

Need further help or information?

Contact the team directly on 01773 841335 or email envadmin@ambervalley.gov.uk